Me: OMG I WANT TO SQUEEZE YOU FOREVER!!
Baby: Yeah, whatever lady. You do what you gotta. I got some seriously chewing to do here.
Don't worry, the above picture is me with a baby I actually know. I didn't steal her and squeeze her without asking.
I try not to ever look at a baby for too long without asking. I try to remember to always ask if I'm going to stare at a baby or get any closer. I certainly never touch a strange baby without asking if I can hold him or her first. Sometimes parents seem confused when I ask if I can look at their baby, but I don't want to be rude!
I love to compliment cute babies and people seem to really enjoy receiving compliments about their cute babies. Sometimes, though, I can't help but wonder if I am bothering someone by giving them attention they didn't ask for. Maybe they don't want to deal with me gushing and squeeing at their baby.
I know that I'll love the attention that my babies will bring, I already love it when people ask to pet my dogs. My corgi, Smalls, gets so much attention. People have literally darted across traffic to pet him. It's funny.
So, I was wondering, how do you guys feel about paying attention to babies or when people pay attention to your baby? I've read some about how pregnant women feel about receiving attention and how many of them feel like their baby bump suddenly becomes public property because people feel like they can just walk up and touch them.
Do you think it is okay to look at other peoples' babies? Squeeze their cheeks? Ask questions about them? Are babies private or public property?
I don't mind casual conversation about my happy, beautiful, smart, fun loving baby but I am very uncomfortable when people touch her - its a weird line for me. Strangers don't touch strangers.
ReplyDeleteI really didn't like it and avoided it when she was very young because I didn't want a sick baby on my hands but now that she's a year I tolerate the squeeze of the arm, handshake or pat. I still don't like kissing between strangers, etc. Again, we as a culture don't tend to touch strangers.
When I'm pregnant: HANDS OFF! Unless you're the baby's daddy, my mom or my best friend. Other relatives or friends who are curious can ask permission. It's a very intimate thing to me.
I think it is weird that people touch pregnant women they don't know at all. Really, really weird. As far as I can remember I've only touched pregnant women's bellies when they invited me to because the baby was kicking.
ReplyDeleteThat's such a cool feeling I wanted my intimate friends (at least people I'd hug when I see them) to feel that if they wanted to.
ReplyDeleteBut yes. It's very strange when people think to rub your belly and you have never met them before. Or even people, like coworkers, you've never hugged or touched in any other way until now.